Could the madness of the Mad Bastard Scooter Rally be catching on? It looks like the Toronto Moto Scooter Club will make a run this September that circumnavigates lake Ontario – the original idea of the Mad Bastard Scooter Rally.
Way, way back in 2004, Editor ‘Arris and a few crazy comrades rode an 800-km circuit around Lake Ontario on 49cc scooters, for reasons unknown. Whatever their motivation, that loony loop was the inaugural running of the Mad Bastard Scooter Rally, a CMG tradition that runs every two years now.
The Toronto Moto Scooter Club’s route is a little more sane than the original MBSR one though, mainly because they’re taking two days to do it – they start off by heading to Kingston, then Wolfe Island, then New York state (you’ll need a passport!), where they’ll stay overnight in Oswego.
Then on day 2, organizers plan to run along Lake Ontario’s southern shore and re-enter Canada at Niagara Falls, then make the run home. Oh, and they recommend at least a 200cc engine, as they’ll be running at highway speeds, and they don’t mention anything about crazy costumes. Frankly, it’ might be a little hard for someone dressed as Scooterman to make it through US customs.
Now, the club run is going to be small in number, but it’s great to see a growing realization that scooters are good for more than running back and forth to work and the grocery store.
Ok guys…. I’m the organizer of this adventure and for me, one of the reasons I got a Maxi-scoot (SYM RV-250) was to do some mild touring and “see the world”. Travelling beautiful roads in a sleep-deprived (or is that depraved?) fog isn’t what’s on. Just great friends enjoying fine roads and sights unseen. It’s a shakedown cruise for further adventures such as a run down to Tennessee that is in the plans.
After the 2009 Mad Bastard TMSC members also did the “Slow Bastard”, Two days (we planned for three, but got the job done sooner) to ride from Toronto to the route of that years MBR, Slept in Westport, then completed the route after which we got distracted and headed up to Haliburton before returning to Toronto for a late dinner. Loads of fun!
…ok, in all fairness, only members of Team Zeppo went on that ride, but it was open to all of TMSC
Two days to do 800 kms with at least 200 cc … what is the world coming to?
Thank God we still have the MBSR where real men and women do battle on mighty machines maxing out at around 70 kph … downhill … with a tailwind … if in full tuck.
Yah…..and I’ll bet you also are one of those ‘real’ folks who used  to walk five miles to school in three feet of snow when you were little.
Sheeesh !